2014 Folger Gala
About the evening
Wednesday, April 23, 2014 Celebrating William Shakespeare's 450th Birthday
The 2014 Folger Gala was a great success. With the generosity of our sponsors, guests, and donors, we raised more than $330,000 for Folger Shakespeare Library’s programs, which bring the very best in Shakespeare education and performance to schoolchildren, scholars, and audiences in the Washington area and beyond.
We extend a very special thank you to Gala Chair Susan Sachs Goldman and the Gala Committee whose leadership and efforts helped achieve this success. Thank you also to Honorary Co-Chairs, the British Ambassador and Lady Westmacott, for their patronage.
More than 275 guests enjoyed cocktails and the exhibition viewing of Shakespeare’s the Thing followed by “What revels are in hand?” in the Elizabethan Theatre. The panel of actors, including Zach Appelman, Michael Benz, Richard Clifford, Katie deBuys, Holly Twyford, and Fiasco Theater, provided an interesting and humorous perspective on their experiences of acting Shakespeare, with the finale of singing Happy Birthday to the Bard! The centerpiece of the evening was the exquisite dinner in the beautifully sparkling Reading Rooms. You may enjoy reading the event coverage in The Washington Post, Bloomberg, and Bisnow.
Entertainment
Zach Appelman recently starred in Folger Theatre’s Henry V, the highest grossing production in Folger history. Washingtonian’s Sophie Gilbert wrote, “Appelman’s Henry V is so eloquent, so engaging, that it’s hard not to leave the theater thinking of him as one of the greatest male characters Shakespeare ever wrote.” Appelman had a supporting role in the 2013 film Kill Your Darlings with Daniel Radcliffe, and has appeared Off-Broadway as Demetrius in Julie Taymor’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and on Broadway as Sergeant Fine in War Horse at Lincoln Center Theater.
Michael Benz played Hamlet in Shakespeare’s Globe world tour of Hamlet, where the Folger was the Washington, DC debut for the company. He received a 2013 Helen Hayes Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor, Non-Resident Production for his performance. Benz made a guest appearance in the season four Christmas Special of Downton Abbey in the role of Ethan Slade.
Richard Clifford is a renowned British actor and director. Among his Folger Theatre directing credits is the record-breaking production of Maxwell Anderson's Elizabeth the Queen. Other productions for the Folger include The School for Scandal, The Clandestine Marriage, and The Game of Love and Chance. He recently performed alongside Jude Law in the acclaimed West End production of Henry V. Clifford has appeared in such films as My Week with Marilyn and Kenneth Branagh’s Much Ado About Nothing and Henry V.
Katie deBuys most recently played Princess Katherine in Folger Theatre’s critically acclaimed Henry V. Other productions at the Folger include The Conference of the Birds and The Gaming Table. Katie has also performed at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Round House Theatre, and the Shakespeare Theatre Company.
Holly Twyford is a Helen Hayes Award winning actress who most recently played Tranio in Folger Theatre’s The Taming of the Shrew. She was recently featured in the second season premiere of the Netflix drama House of Cards, and, in 2015, will star in Folger Theatre’s Mary Stuart.
Fiasco Theater performed The Two Gentlemen of Verona at the Folger beginning April 17, 2014. Fiasco is known for staging Shakespeare’s most whimsical, timeless tales in stripped-down, music-filled productions. Their production of Cymbeline, which was presented at the Folger from May 28 to June 1, 2014, was hailed as Top 10 Theater of 2011 by New York magazine. The play had two Off-Broadway runs, nearly 200 performances, and was honored with the Off-Broadway Alliance Award for “Best Revival” of 2011/2012. Their production of Into the Woods will be featured in Roundabout Theatre Company’s 2014/15 season.
Committee and Honorary Committee
Honorary co-chairs
The British Ambassador and Lady Westmacott
Gala chair
Susan Sachs Goldman
2014 Folger Gala committee
Jarrett and Nora Arp
Heather and Dick Cass
Vinton and Sigrid Cerf
Louis and Bonnie Cohen
Philip Deutch and Marne Levine
Lisa Fuentes and Thomas Cohen
David and Margaret Gardner
Maxine Isaacs
Carol and Gene Ludwig
Ken Ludwig and Adrienne George
The Honorable John D. Macomber
Darcy and Andy Nussbaum
Melanie and Larry Nussdorf
Herman J. Obermayer
David and Mary Parsons
Gail Kern Paster
Joanne and Paul Ruxin
Mr. and Mrs. B. Francis Saul, II
Mallory and Diana Walker
Honorary committee
Speaker John A. Boehner
Senator Michael F. Bennet
Senator Roy Blunt
Senator Richard Burr
Senator Thad Cochran
Congressman Steve Cohen
Congressman Tom Cole
Senator Susan Collins
Congressman John K. Delaney
Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro
Congressman John D. Dingell
Senator Mike Enzi
Senator Dianne Feinstein
Senator Chuck Grassley
Congressman Michael Grimm
Senator John Hoeven
Congressman Rush Holt
Senator Tim Johnson
Congressman David P. Joyce
Senator Mary L. Landrieu
Congressman John Lewis
Congresswoman Doris Matsui
Senator John McCain
Congresswoman Betty McCollum
Congressman James P. Moran
Senator Lisa Murkowski
Congressman Thomas Petri
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree
Senator Mark Pryor
Senator Jack Reed
Congressman Dave Reichert
Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez
Senator Charles E. Schumer
Congresswoman Louise M. Slaughter
Congressman Pat Tiberi
Senator Tom Udall
Senator Mark R. Warner
Congressman Henry A. Waxman
Senator Roger F. Wicker
Congressman Roger Williams
Sponsors
Lead Sponsors
Susan Sachs Goldman ● Carol and Gene Ludwig ● Mr. and Mrs. Mark Pigott KBE
Prime Sponsors
Vinton and Sigrid Cerf ● The Honorable John D. Macomber
Major Sponsors
The Lee and Juliet Folger Fund ● Herman J. Obermayer ● Mr. and Mrs. B. Francis Saul, II
Sponsors
Jarrett and Nora Arp ● Louis and Bonnie Cohen ● Lisa Fuentes and Thomas Cohen ● David and Margaret Gardner ● Stephen H. Grant ● Maxine Isaacs ● Edward and Patricia Leahy ● Susan Carmel Lehrman ● Darcy and Andy Nussbaum ● Melanie and Larry Nussdorf ● Mary and David Parsons ● Gail Kern Paster ● Stuart and Mimi Rose ● Mallory and Diana Walker
Patrons
David Bradt and Diane Tipton ● The Lord Browne of Madingley ● Twiss and Patrick Butler ● Heather and Dick Cass ● Nicky and Steve Cymrot ● Philip Deutch and Marne Levine ● Dominion ● Florence and Peter D. Hart ● Wyatt R. and Susan N. Haskell ● Catherine Held ● Betsy K. Karel ● Ken Ludwig and Adrienne George ● John and Connie McGuire ● Roger and Robin Millay ● The Mosaic Foundation (of R. and P. Heydon) ● Joanne and Paul Ruxin ● Philip and Tricia Winterer ● Nyla and Gerry Witmore ● Phyllis Jane Young
Pictures
2014 Folger Gala. Photo by James Brantley.
2014 Folger Gala. Photo by James Brantley.
2014 Folger Gala. Photo by James Brantley.
